iOS 8 Device Compatibility Speculation

Way ahead of things again... but was wondering. WHEN iOS 8 does come out, how many devices (how far back) do you think Apple will be able to support? iPhone 4S or newer? iPhone 5 or newer? iPad 2 still in the mix as well?

I know my trusty 'ol iPhone 4 has held up to iOS 7 surprisingly well, but I doubt the next major update would fare quite as well...

The 4S might see iOS8 - but it won't have all the bells & whistles that the new devices get. And depending on what happens with the rest of the iPad line-up - I'd be surprised if the iPad2 would get iOS8 when it arrives.

Way ahead of things again... but was wondering. WHEN iOS 8 does come out, how many devices (how far back) do you think Apple will be able to support? iPhone 4S or newer? iPhone 5 or newer? iPad 2 still in the mix as well?

I know my trusty 'ol iPhone 4 has held up to iOS 7 surprisingly well, but I doubt the next major update would fare quite as well...

I'd say 4S and up on iPhone, iPad 3 and up for iPad. A5 processors probably won't support iOS 8. It may be like the 3GS...while it technically got iOS 6, it was hobbled and didn't perform well.

While devices like iPad 2 and iPhone 4 may technically RUN an OS, I believe Apple is more concerned about experience.

But here's to hoping Apple might follow (please don't flame me) Google with Kit-Kat's focus on optimization for low memory/specs devices BUT not at the expense of possibly the addition of new features they might incorporate into iOS 8 (maybe like in iOS7 disable some features on the older devices). So those 4 devices above can have at least a year more with using the latest iOS.

Apple is good at offering at least some small update for devices it currently sells, recently they proved that they count that time from the date a device is released and not by specs only. If Apple doesn't introduce a new product BEFORE iOS 8 is completely finished all A5 chip devices will get an update (there's just too many of them to completely abandon at once - iPhone 4S, iPad 2/3, iPad Mini), this could change if a refreshed upgraded iPad Air comes out for example in May/June with iOS 7.3 and Apple stops selling their older devices.
So iPhone 4S & iPad 2 will probably get a last micro update because they were both released in 2011 and offer the same hardware but don't expect much new features or significant changes (since iPhone 4S was released a few months later than iPad 2 Siri is included while the tablet doesn't have it). We need to count the time from the system's number it debuted - iPhone 4S started with iOS 5 so it got a full update next year with iOS 6, then came iOS 7 and it got a partial update, in 2014 it'll get a symbolic last update in iOS 8. That means your purchased device is on a solid guaranteed 2 year cycle + 1 additional year of support for those that bought the device later and will continue to use it.

Show me a 3+ year old Android phone running the latest OS version.
Apple supports their phones far longer than Android manufacturers.

I can't show you one if I haven't got one can I what I will say is that up until October of this year my oh was running a Sony Xperia Ray on the latest operating system and it worked fine considering how old that is. So get your facts right before telling me what I can and can't do

Oh and read my post. I simply said some people can't afford to upgrade their phones everytine apple decide to drop anew

You don't need to upgrade your Apple phone every time a new iOS version is released. The current version iOS 7 is still supported on the iPhone 4 which was released in July 2010. And the iPhone 4 will more than likely continue to be supported until iOS 8 is released probably in Sept 2014. So that gives the iPhone 4 support for 4 years and 3 months.

mATE YOU'RE STILL NOT GETTING WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY. I CAN'T AFFORD APPLE PRODUCTS LIKE YOU LOT CAN. I HAVE TO SIMPLY WAIT FOR HAND DOWNS - sorry for the shouting didn't realise i had caps lock on. Oh what the hell, I won't win my argument so why am i even bothering to comment

I can't show you one if I haven't got one can I what I will say is that up until October of this year my oh was running a Sony Xperia Ray on the latest operating system and it worked fine considering how old that is. So get your facts right before telling me what I can and can't do

The Sony Xperia Ray was released in Aug 2011 so that is the earliest you could've acquired it. It shipped with Android 2.3 Gingerbread and was only ever upgradeable to Ice Cream Sandwich which was released in Mar 2012. So basically it got updates for less than one year. It was not upgraded to any of the Jelly Bean releases or KitKat.

Now I'm assuming it is possible that you downloaded a third-party ROM which may have supported some Jelly Bean features, but this thread is in reference to manufacturer support of an OS on specific devices not what you may or may not have done on your own.

But regardless, if I assume you are correct that you had the latest Android version until Oct 2013 and that you purchased the Xperia Ray as soon as it was available in Aug 2011, then that gives at most 2 years and 2 months of support for the latest OS, whereas I stated above, Apple has already supported the iPhone 4 for over three years and by the time the iPhone 4 is no longer supported, the iPhone 4 would have been on the current iOS version for over four years.

mATE YOU'RE STILL NOT GETTING WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY. I CAN'T AFFORD APPLE PRODUCTS LIKE YOU LOT CAN. I HAVE TO SIMPLY WAIT FOR HAND DOWNS - sorry for the shouting didn't realise i had caps lock on. Oh what the hell, I won't win my argument so why am i even bothering to comment

I'm sorry you can't afford an Apple phone and that you are obviously upset about that fact, but it doesn't change the facts that Apple provides iOS version updates for a longer period of time than Android manufacturers.

I could have kept my 3GS from 2009 and would have had 4 years of IOS support.

The HTC EVO 3D I had didn't even get 1 year of support.

Because of the 5S is 64 bit I wouldn't be shocked if it gets 5 years of iOS support.

I recently read a article about how the 5s and A7 and how it's significance is more than what people realize. It could turn out to be in years to come the oldest iPhone that still works in the sense of running a future iOS and 64 bit apps.

I think the 4s will be the last to get it(well the watered down version like what happens every year). I also don't think the original iPad mini or iPad 2 will receive it which could really make some iPad mini owners upset( but that is what happens when you buy into already outdated hardware) The 5/5S will get pretty much everything that is not hardware related.

If apple continue to drop older models then I'm afraid I'll be forced to go with android, because at least all their latest phones work with updates. I simply CANT afford to keep upgrading simple as.

What do you expect them to do support the devices forever? The hardware simply cannot handle the more intense updates and would make the devices worse after the update than before. Sort of like IOS4 on the 3gs. Not to mention just because apple isn't updating the devices doesn't mean they all the sudden quit working. Just because it won't get IOS8, the iPhone 4 will still be a good option for many. Updates aren't everything. Don't fret.

What do you expect them to do support the devices forever? The hardware simply cannot handle the more intense updates and would make the devices worse after the update than before. Sort of like IOS4 on the 3gs. Not to mention just because apple isn't updating the devices doesn't mean they all the sudden quit working. Just because it won't get IOS8, the iPhone 4 will still be a good option for many. Updates aren't everything. Don't fret.

I'm thinking iOS 8 will only work with the 5s|5c|5 from a phone perspective. If rumors are true that we're gonna get a larger iPhone, I can't see developers being happy about the need for adapting their apps for 3 screen sizes. Granted, I know nothing about this, so it could be meaningless and easy to do.